Moving-picture instrument



W. M. THOMAS MOVING PICTURE INSTRUMENT 7 Original Filed Feb. 6, 1917 14 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 1,522,395

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W. M. THOMAS MOVING PICTURE INSTRUMENT Original Filed Feb. 6, 1917 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jan. 6, 1925. 1,522,395

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W. M. THOMAS MOVING PICTURE INSTRUMENT Original Filed Feb. 6, 1917 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 w. M. THOMAS MOVING PICTURE INSTRUMENT Original Filed Feb. 6, 1917 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 M. I HOMAS STRUMENT EEL'JTURE IN 14 Sheets-Sheet 15 Original Filed Feb. 6, 19].

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W. M. THOMAS MOVI NG PI CTURE INSTRUMENT Original Filed Feb. 6, 1917 14 Sheets-Sheet 14.

Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. THOMAS, OF IJOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNO R TO THOMAS-O-BER- KIRGH COMPANY, LIMITED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MOVING-PICTURE INSTRUMENT.

Application filed February 6 1917, Serial No. 146,916. Renewed July 29, 1922. Serial No. 578,509.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,- and a resident of the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, and whose post-ofiice address is 5246 Lexington Ave, Los Angeles, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moving-Picture Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of photography and more particularly to means and mechanisms for taking and exhibiting motion pictures.

The invention further includes film moving devices co-operating with lens mounts whereby the lens best suited. for taking pictures of a predetermined size series may be properly positioned to produce an image on the film when the device is used as a camera and to be subsequently replaced by suitable lens best adapted 'toproject a par- 7 ticular size series of pictures whenthe device 1s being used as a pro ector.

The invention further includes framing mechanism comprising the mounting of a feeding mechanism upon a support whereby the support may be raised or lowered relatively to the casing carrying'the lens and the picture aperture so that in projecting, the pictures may be suitably positioned to cause registry of the pictures and the lens aperture.

The invention also contemplates the mounting of the mechanism in a casing provided with doors adapted toopen full \upon each side of the casing, and wherein the mechanism is supported in the-casing in such manner that the mechanism may be turned upon a pivot relatively to said casing so that the parts may be manipulated or adjusted without interference of the said casing.

The foregoing objects have been delineated more particularly for the purpose of indicating broadly certain various phases of this invention and are not set forth nor intended to be understood as statements limiting the scope of this invention because I fully appreciate that the foregoing state ments are inadequate to set forth all the objects of my invention.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification following by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this disclosure.

Throughout the drawings like characters will be used to represent like parts in the various figures thereof:

Figure 1 is a side view showing an end view of the finder.

Figure 2 is aplan view looking at the top of the instrument.

Figure 3 is a front view of the instrument.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the mechanism removed from the casing.

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the operation of the shutters in the sides of the film box.

Figure 6 shows the film box or receptacle with one side removed. a

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the film box and driving mechanism taken on line AA Figure 10. I

Figure 8 is an elevational View with one side of the film receptacle removed and showing the displacement of the film spools guring the winding and unwinding of the Figure 9 is a perspective view showin the manner of'threading the film througfi the instrument. g

Figure 10 is an elevational view showing the driving mechanism and also illustrating the ,manner of supporting the mechanism within the outer casing.

Figure 11 is a top plan View of the instrument with the outer casing removed.

Figure 12 is a detail sectional view showing the optical principles of the machine and mechanisms for driving the shutter.

Figure 13 illustrates the mechanism for mounting the lens turret toenable the turret to have both a rotary and a sidewise movement.

Figure lat is. a front view showing the relationship of the aperture plates and the rotary shutter.

Figure 15 illustrates the plurality aperture plates.

Figure 16 is a detail perspective view of the shutter blades.

Figure 17 shows the shutter blades arranged for asingle light aperture.

Figure 18 shows the shutter blades arranged for a double light aperture.

Figure 19 shows the shutter in the position to be driven at slow speed relative to the drive mechanism. 1 V

Figure 20 shows the shutter moved to posi tion to be driven at high speed relative to the drive mechanism.

Figure 21 is a detail view illustrating a portion of the film feeding mechanism.

Figure 22 is a. view similar to Figure 21 with portions broken away to illustrate details of the feed control.

Figure 23 is a perspective view illustrating the mechanism disassembled to further show the film feed mechanisms.

Figure 2a is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the operation of the film feeding devices.

Figure 25 is a detail view illustrating the storing of energy in the film prior to the intermittent feed thereof.

Figure 26 shows the feed mechanism control whereby the intermittent feedmecha n'ism may be rendered inoperative to introduce a film or to run the film backwards for any desired reason.

Figure 27 is a detail view of the button carried in the casing door for operating the film control mechanism in Figure 26.

Figure28 is a detail view of the film feed control shown in Figure 26.

Figure 29 shows the view finder removed and an electric lamp placed in position to adapt the instrumentfor projecting.

Figure 30 illustrates the construction whereby the mechanism may be swung relatively to the casing for adjustment, repairs, etc.

Heretofore in the moving picture art it has been customary to provide large heavy vibration is substantially essential, and it was found that large weighty masses both in the camera and in the projector tended toabsorb these undesirable vibrations, consequently weight, or mass, was considered an essential element.

My invention includes an instrument wherein reciprocating or intermittently moving masses are reduced to a minimum thereby reducing the attendant vibration. In view of this fact mass, for the purpose of producing weight to absorb vibration, is not a primary element of my construction. By the elimination of this factor I am enabled to reduce the size of parts and by providing novel constructions, which will hereinafter be described in detail, I have produced a moving picture instrument of extremely small size. An instrument that will take a great number of small sized pictures (quarter or half size) on a given length of film is very desirable but it frequently becomes necessary while taking a series of relatively small pictures to take full sized pictures of important subjects or occurrences. My invention provides the foregoing desiderata by providing a film feed which is primarily dependent upon a locking and unlocking of the effective portion of the film. Heretofore in the art it has been necessary to provide independent mechanisms for each different length film feed, hence it was not found expedient to construct one member capable of feed modification to take both large size and small size series pictures, since no successful universal film feed has hitherto been developed, therefore, it has not been possible heretofore to take or project varying sized picture series with a single film feed. The instant this I)()l tion of the film is stopped, during the o )eration of my machine, supply of film length for the next picture length begins to change from a latent condition to a potential condition, whereby the instant the'locked portion is released, the potential length accumulated .during the stoppage is freed and moves forward. Therefore assuming the mechanism to be constructed so that the rate of accumulation is constant, during operation, the amount of film feed, or in other words. the picture length is entirely dependent upon the interval between the locking and releasing of the active portion of the film. The mechanism of my device provides for varying this interval to correspond to different predetermined picture lengths. This enables me to take varying size pictures with substantially the same feeding mechanism wherein only the operating interval is varied.

Heretofore in the art it has not been found expedient to use rotating shutters between the lcns and the film, since heretofore the relationship of time required for film movements and the period of blanketing by a shutter have been such that the shutter must necessarily be of asize too large to be enclosed within the limits provided in the camera casing. Because of the extreme rapidity of film movement to provide picture lengths and the relatively long period of rest in the construction comprising my invention I am enabled to successfully use a rotary shutter of such size as to be conveniently mounted withina camera casing without substantially increasing the width of the casing beyond that required for the film and operating mechanism. This use of a rotary shutter further obviates vibration. v

Referring more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 it will be noted that the instrument is mounted within an outer casing 1 which preferably is metallic and suitably covered with leather or other material as is common in the art. Doors 2 and 4 are provided to facilitate inspection and adjustment -.of the mechanism and preferably are hinged at the frontof the casing, as at 5, and are provided with spring latches 6 that clip over pins 7 carried on the rear outer casing. Preferab-ly the top of the casing is provided with a folding handle 8. The door 2 car-' ries the-operating crank handle 9 which is mounted upon a metal disk 10 that is provided with a felt pad 11 to constitute alight tight oint where the handle extends through a slot 12 in the door 2 (see Fig. 10). The door at carries a view finder 14, which may be removed and a suitable lamp substituted therefor, to enable the instrument to be used for a projector, as will hereinafter be described. The front of the-instrument is provided with a lens turret 15 on which is mounted a plurality of lenses of different sizes and character.

Film receptacle Taking up the specific construction of the instrument the film receptacle will be described first, since this portion of the mechanism carries the supply of material being operated upon, namely, the 'film, and particular reference will be made to Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 The film receptacle comprises a light tight metallic box 16 having shouldered or beaded edges 17 in the front thereof to receive a suitable side plate 18 which is provided with ribs adapted to be seated in the edge beads to form a light tightj o int. The back 19 as well as the side plate is provided, with a meniscus shapedplate 20. Curved openings 21 and 22 are provided on the meniscus plate and in the side walls of the back and side plate.

Since the construction of the back and side.

plate is the same, only the back is illustrated g (see Fig. 5). Both the back and front plates: are provided with double walls 24 and 25. Thin ,metal' shutter plates 26 of meniscus form carry short tubes 27 upon which are mounted oval shaped thin plates- 28. These plates are each provided with slots 29 that cooperate with guide pins 30. The thin metal plates 26 and the oval plates 28 are mounted between the walls 24k and 25, and constitute shutters which at all times close the openings 21 and 22. The tubes 2.7 extend inwardly both from the side plate and the back 19 and constitute movable supports which carry the film spools 31 and 32 (see Fig. 7), with the ends of these spools in contactwith or guided by the meniscus shaped plates 20. It will be noted that the foregoing described structure permits the spools to have a movement within the film box, the direction and limit of which movement is determined by the tubes 27 being guided in the openings 21 and A pair of guide spools 34 and 35 are mounted upon fixed axes adjacent the upper and lower limits of the movement of the film spools and are adapted to support and guide the iilm being wound or unwound from the film spools. weight. of the film brings the lower coil thereof against the guide spool 35 and as this lower coil gradually increases as the film is being wound thereon the center or axis of the lower spool gradually moves upward. thereby lifting the thin metalplates 26 through the short tubes 27 and consequently lifting the upper spool and 0011 so that the winding and unwinding of the coils automatically controls the dis placement of the spools within the receptacle, thereby enabling a relatively small sized container to carry a relativelylarge amount of film. held in position bysuitable catches 36 so that when a roll of film on a suitable spool is positioned on one of the tubes 27 and the end of the film led through a slot 37 in the front of the box 16 and the cover placed in position to bring the cooperating tube 27 within the end of the spool, the film receptacle is loaded and ready tobe placed within the instrument. Since the parts are entirely symmetrical it is immaterial which pair of tubes carries the full supply of tilm since the driving 'niechanisn'i which passes through the tube and co-operates with the spools, is adaptable to co-operate with either side of the film receptacle, as will hereinafter be described.

Threading and winding onecimm'sm.

The threading and winding mechanism is one end of the film extending through the r The side plates 18 may be It will be noted that the.

slot 37, the film receptacle is adapted to be positioned on the main frame plate 39 by sliding the catch springs 36 between the guide plates 40 which are carried by and extend outwardly from the main frame plate 39. The driving shafts 41 and 42 are carriedby the pivoted frame 44 (Figs. 7, 10 and 11) and extend through the tubes 27 into the film spools 31 and 32. The inner ends of the driving shafts 41 and 42 are provided with slots 45 which are constructed to receive the conical ends of screws 46 mounted in the film spools31 and 32 so that a rotation of the driving shafts drives and rotates the film spools. The driving shafts carry collars 47 on one side of the pivoted frame 44, and grooved driving wheels 48 on the other side of the said pivoted frame. It is to be noted that the grooved driving wheels are mounted to rotate freely upon the driving shafts and that these driving wheels carry integrally or fixedly attached ratchet wheels 49 and 50. It is to be noted that the teeth of the ratchet wheel 49 are inclined in one direction, whereas the teeth I of the ratchet wheel 50 are inclined in the opposite direction. The outer ends of the driving shafts 41 and 42 carry short crank arms 51 and 52 that are riveted or otherwise fixedly secured to the driving shafts. The outer ends of these crank arms are provided with pivoted spring pressed pawls 54 and 55 that are in constant engagement with the ratchet wheels 49 and 50. A main driving wheel 56 is mounted upon the stub shaft 57 (Fig. 12) around which the pivoted frame oscillates. The main driving wheel 56 is likewise a grooved wheel, and a con tinuous flexible or spring belt 58 operatively connects both of the driving wheels 48 with the main driving wheel 56 and constitutes a friction driving mechanism between the parts. As shown in Fig. 12 the operating handle is provided with a screwthreaded extension 59 which screws into an extension 60 on the main driving wheel 56 whereby rotation of the driving crank is transmitted to the main driving wheel. A suitable metal disk 61 and felt pad 62 are provided on the inside of the door 2 to provide a light tight joint where the operating handle extension passes .through the door. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 10'that when the operating handle is rotated in a clockwise direction the main driving wheel 56 and the wheels 48 will correspondingly be driven in a clockwise direction, so that the ratchet wheel 49 will be rotated beneath the spring pressed pawl 54, consequently the driving shaft 41 is not driven and may remain idle. Conversely, however, the ratchet wheel 50 will be driven against the operative face of the spring pressed dog 55 thereby rotating the lower driving shaft 42. The main driving wheeL 56 carries on direction rotates'the film feeding sprocket wheels in an anti-clockwise direction.

After the film receptacle is suitably positioned upon the main frame plate 39 with driving shafts properly positioned in the film supporting spools, the leading end of the film is started in over the upper film guide arm 71 (Figs. 8, 9, 23 and 24) which is preferably pivoted, as at 72, and is spring pressed against one edge of the upper film feeding sprocket wheel 69 by means of the leaf spring 74 which extends between the upper film guide arm 71 and the lower film guide arm 75, that is similarly pivoted, as at 76. It is to be noted (Fig. 9) that the forward end, in fact both ends, of the film is cut to provide a long leading edge, as at 77. After the leading edge of the film is started, as above specified, the arm 71 guides the leading edge directly into the zone of the sprocket teeth 78 on the film feeding sprocket wheel 69 so that if the crank handle 9 is being turned in a clockwise direction the sprocket wheel will engage the perforations in the film and thereby continue the feed of the film. Film encrgizing springs 79 (Fig. 23) are anchored at one end to the post 80 and pass beneath the sprocket wheel 69 through suitable grooves 81 in the said sprocket wheel, then upwardly over and in contact with the main film guide 82 and downwardly through hollow posts 84 and 85 where the lower ends of. the springs are anchored to the crossbar 86. The main film guide 82 is provided on each end with circular openings 87 and 88 in which are positioned idler rolls 89 and 90 that are provided with grooves adapted to accommodate the sprocket teeth 78 on the sprocket wheels 69 and 70. These idler rolls are spring pressed through suitable openings 91 (Figs. 24 and 25) in the walls of the main film guide 82 adjacent the circular openings 87 and 88, to normally rest against the faces of the film feeding sprocket wheels 69 and 70. In view of the mounted on the back of the main film guide 82 (Figs. 22 and 24). A control shaft 96 is rotatively and slidably mounted in the main film guide 82 and carries an arm 97 which extends downwardly and back of the cross-bar 94. One end of this shaft (Figs.

- 26 and 28) is, provided with a short cam arm 98 which is in the path of a plate 99 carried by theslide post 100 which is suitably mounted in guides 101 and 102 that are carried by the side frame 104. The

L lower end. of the slide post 100 is provided with an outstanding in 105 which is normally in the path of an arm 106 carried on the thumb button shaft 107 which is supported in the door 4 (Fig. 27), so that when the thumb shaft is turned in one direction the arm 106 engages the pin to slide the post 100 upwardly whereas when the thumb shaft is turned in the other direction the arm 106 engages the pin 105 to move the post 100 in the opposite direction or downwardly. The lower end of the slide post 100 carries the loop forming trough 108 which is normally out of contact with the film when the instrument is in operation and the film is traveling through the various feeding devices. From the foregoing it will be noted that when the post 100 is slid upwardly the plate 99 contacts with the cam arm 98 to rotate the control shaft 96 in such manner that the arm 97 bearing against the cross-bar 94 moves the holding pins 92 to inoperative position (Figs. 23,

24 and 28). At the same time the loop forming trough will be raised adjacent the sprocket wheel 70. Further tracing the path of the film in its initial or threading movement it will be noted that since the pins 92 are withdrawnfthere is no opposition to the continued travel of the film and the film travels downwardly until the leadengagement with the under side of the lower guide arm 7 The elasticity or resiliency of the film maintains it in contact with this guide arm, and as the guide arm terminates adjacentthe slot 109 in the film receptacle, the film is automatically led through this slot 109 and into the lower pivoted trough 110 (Figs. 6, 8 and 9). This pivoted trough is mounted to rotate upon a screw 111 and is provided with a leaf spring 112 that normally maintains the stop 11 1 against the front wall of the film receptacle. This lower pivoted trough now directs the lead ingend of the film forward .into the zone of rotation of the driven film spool 32, which it will be remembered is driven by the positively driven shaft 42. The film spools 31 and 32 are formed with a cylindrical body portion 115 which carries a grid oomprising a plurality of fingers 116 that are preferably substantially parallel to the axis of the film spools that are spaced apart from the body portion of the spool. Since fthe spool 32 is rotating in an anti-clockwise direction or opposed to the direction of movement of the advancing edge of the film, it will be noted that when-the film is directed beneath one of the fingers 116, and as the film spool turns, a loop is formed in the advancing end of the film so that the film is bent upon itself and thereby normally secured to this film spool. As the operating crank is rotated further, the film is now advanced continuously from the upper supply spool to the lower winding spool due to the positive drive of the film by the film feeding sprocket wheels 69 and 70.

Any variation between the positive definite I is accomodated by the flexible belt 58 slipping relatively to the drive wheels 48 and 56. From the foregoing description it is to be noted that after the film'is once started into the instrument it is automatically threaded through and automatically connected with the receiving or winding film spools As it' will be hereinafter pointed out this instrument includes an operation wherein it is intended all the films shall be fed in one direction, thereby transferred from one film spool to the other, and the film receptacle is then intended to be removed and reversed top for bottom whereby the film may be again fed through as in the first instance. In view of this fact an upper pivoted trough is also provided, which trough is identical in construction with the trough 110, and which trough is in effect inoperative when it s adjacent the supply film spool. This trough becomes the lower trough when the film receptacle is inverted and replaced. The operations of ire-threading are the same as when the film-is originally started through in the first instance.

The optical mechanism.

Since this instrument is capable of several classes of work, the next'step after the ma chine has been threaded is to determine the character ofwork to be done, and thisin- 14 and 15).

1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 14 and 15. The front plate 117 supports the lens turret 15 which carries lenses 118, 119 and 120. This lens turret is rotatably sup-ported on the lower end of a swinging arm 121 which is mounted in back of the front plate 117. Preferably a short spring 122 (Fig. 12) maintains the turret 15 with a felt backing 124 tightly against the front plate 117. A spring pressed stop 125 is carried upon the lens turret 15 and. is adapted to be positioned in any one of the various holes 126 provided in the front plate 117 and indicated in Fig. 13. It is to be noted that there are two series of these holes, one series of which co-operates with the stop 125 when the arm 121 is in the position against the stop pin 127, and the stop 125 co-operates with the other series of holes when the arm 121 is against the other stop pin 128. The holes 126 enable the lens turret 15 to be definitely positioned with any one of the lenses directly centered over the picture opening.

The picture opening is determined by aperture plates 129, 130, 131, and 132 (Figs. These aperture plates have beveled edges and are adapted to be slid into a suitable opening provided in the rear of the vertical posts 84 and 85 whereby the aperture plates are carried upon the vertical posts in front of the path of the film. The aperture plate 130 is adapted to expose an area of the film equivalent to the standard size commercial picture of today and when this aperture plate is in position, a

single series of pictures or exposures is made upon one width of film. Aperture plate 129 exposes an area equivalent to one-quarter the normal size picture and when this plate is in position in the instrument two series of pictures may be taken upon a single width of standard commerical film. Aperture plates 131 and 132 are more particularly adapted for color work. The smaller lens 118 is normally adaptable for taking the smaller size pictures through aperture plate 129. However, if small pictures of tele-photo character are desired the medium sized lens is swung into position by turning the lens turret 15 and swinging the lens turret sidewise to bring the center of this medium sized lens directly over the center of the area of the film exposed through the aperture plate 129. Where it is desired to produce highly magnified tele-photo pictures the larger size lens 120 may be positioned over a center of the area exposed through the aperture plate 129. This lens will produce, so far as the small pictures are concerned, a relatively large image which necessarily means that a relatively small amount of the exposed field in front of the instrument is photographed. \Vhere full sized pictures are desired aperture plate 130 is used and the medium sized lens is ordinarily positioned over the exthough, of course, anyone of the three lenses may be used in projection work. Where pictures are taken through the largest lens 120 it may be dcsirable to substitute a still larger lens for projection work. This may be accomplished by removing the largest lens and substituting a different lens tube therefor.

By referring to Figure 12 it will be noted that the image produced by the front objective lens carried in the lens turret on the front of the casing is focused on the same plane as is the image which is pro; jected through the lens 135 and reflected from the mirror 134 (which is preferably a reflector of the surface mirror type) upon the film or light sensitive element. The lens tube carrying the lens 135 is provided with a suitable iris diaphragm (not shown) and a suitable shutter 136. This iris diaphragm and this shutter, as well as the lens 135, are of a type common in the art, ordinarily used with small hand cameras. Since the lenses 118, 119 and 120 on the front of the casing and the lens 135 have a common focal plane, it is evident that images may be formed upon this common focal plane by either the lenses in front or the lens 185 in the side thereof, or if desired both lenses may simultaneously form images on this same focal plane. By this construction it is evident that this instrument may be. used for taking moving pictures and by turning the lens turret in such manner as to blanket the opening in the front of the casing, or by capping the front lens positioned over this opening, the lens 135, together with the shutter and diaphragm, becomes operative for taking individual static pictures. The moving picture feed of this machine is of a character wherein a slight clicking or snapping sound is made at each picture feed movement by the film contacting with the main film guide, thereby comprising a signal to the operator indicating that the film has been moved forward a single picture step inter val thereby enabling the operator to take individual static pictures and to provide suitable film movements for such pictures. This construction of a plurality of lenses having a comon focal plane also enables the instrument to be used to produce eli'eits that heretofore have required double independent 

